Abstract

Background: Military veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) frequently report exposure to multiple other traumas in addition to their military experiences. This study aimed to examine the impact of exposure-related factors for military veterans with PTSD on recovery after participation in a group-based treatment program.

Method: Subjects included 1548 military veterans with PTSD participating in specialist veterans’ PTSD programs across Australia. The study included measures of PTSD, depression, anxiety and alcohol use.

Results: Analyses of variance found higher combat exposure was associated with more severe PTSD at intake. No differences in PTSD intake severity were evident in those with additional non-military trauma. Severity of combat exposure did not affect treatment outcomes, although those with low combat exposure and additional non-military trauma (which included high rates of molestation) did report reduced symptom improvement.

Conclusions: These findings have implications for considerations of optimal interventions for those with lower levels of combat exposure and additional non-military trauma.